Piers Morgan Defends Kirk Cameron's Anti-Gay Comments as 'Brave'

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UPDATED: The ex-"Growing Pains" actor called homosexuality "unnatural" in an interview with the CNN host last Friday, drawing the ire of GLAAD and and a tongue-in-cheek tweet from his TV dad Alan Thicke.

When Kirk Cameron -- '80s heartthrob-turned-staunch advocate for Christian conservative values -- appeared on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight on Friday, he did not keep a lid on his controversial views about gay marriage.

"I think that it's unnatural," Cameron, who played Mike Seaver on the family sitcom Growing Pains, said of homosexuality. "I think that it's detrimental and ultimately destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization."

Cameron, an evangelical Christian and brother of former Full House actress Candace Cameron, also said of marriage: "One man, one woman for life till death do you part. ... So do I support the idea of gay marriage? No, I don't."

Amid backlash against Cameron, Piers Morgan defended his right to speak out, however "antiquated" his beliefs. In an interview with TMZ, Morgan called Cameron "pretty brave" for voicing his opinion.

"Cameron is out of step with a growing majority of Americans, particularly people of faith who believe that their gay and lesbian brothers and sisters should be loved and accepted based on their character and not condemned because of their sexual orientation," the organization said in a statement.

Alan Thicke, who portrayed the patriarch on Growing Pains, referenced the ensuing anti-Cameron commotion on Twitter, writing: "I'll address kirk's comments as soon as I recover from rush limbaugh's."